Key to Umbria: Spello
 


Spello


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Spello is easily reached by train from Perugia and by train or bus from Assisi or Foligno.  You could see it in a day, but it really deserves more time.  It is a nice place to stay, with good hotels, and works well as a base because it is so close to Foligno.

I stayed twice now at the Hotel Palazzo Bocci, which is lovely.   I have not stayed at Hotel la Bastiglia, but it has a wonderful location and has two restaurants, one with a Michelin star.

If you want an apartment, the following look inviting:

  1. Palazzo dei Canonici Resort, which offers recently converted apartments in Palazzo dei Canonici;

  2. Buonanotte Barbanera;

  3. the Residence San Jacopo;

  4. Locanda in Urbe;

  5. the Residence La Terrazza; and

  6. Camere Borgo San Sisto.

I enjoyed the following restaurants:

  1. Ristorante Porta Venere, 37 Via Torri di Properzio (0742 301 896), which has a lovely terrace;

  2. Osteriglia, one of the two restaurants of Hotel il Bastiglia (above), which is now run by Salvatore Denaro, the erstwhile owner of Il Bacco Felice, Foligno, and which also has a lovely terrace (15 Via Salnitraria, - 0742 651 277); 

  3. Drinking Wine, 20 Via Garibaldi (0742 301 625), which is also a wine bar and wine shop;

  4. Osteria del Buchetto, 19 Via Cappuccini, next to Arco Romano (0742 303 052);

  5. Osteria de Dada, 47 Via Cavour (0742 301 327);

  6. Ristorante il Pinturicchio, 8 Largo G. Mazzini (0742 301 003); and

  7. Ristorante la Cantina, 2 Via Cavour (0742 651 775).

Ristorante Pizzeria Orlando Furioso, 75 Via Centrale Umbra (0742 652 125) is nice for lunch and does pizza (which I have not tried yet) in the evenings.

Enoteca Properzio has two excellent wine shops and delicatessens in Spello:  

  1. Enoteca Properzio 1, 8a Via Torri di Properzio (0742 301 688); and

  2. Enoteca Properzio 2 , 8/10 Via Cavour, next to Palazzo dei Canonici (0742 301 521), which also has a bar and wine bar and is great for lunch. 

I enjoyed four good bars in the centre:

  1. Bar Tullia, 6 Largo Mazzini (opposite San Lorenzo);

  2. Bar Bonci, 10 Via Garibaldi, which has a lovely garden at the back, with a view of the apse of San Lorenzo

  3. Caffé Cavour, 61 Via Cavour, which has tables outside in Piazza della Repubblica; and

  4. the tiny bar that belongs to the Locanda in Urbe, 97 Via Giulia (above), which is very friendly and has what looks to be a good lunch menu.

There are also two good bars in Piazza Kennedy;

Bar Borgo.

If you arrive by train, there is a 15 minute walk from the station to the centre of the city.  If you need a taxi, arrange one in advance because there are seldom taxis at the rank.  Spello Taxi can be reached on 334 570 4218. 

If you plan to use the train while you are in Spello to reach (for example) Foligno or Perugia, buy your ticket from a bar in the centre, because the station is usually unmanned and the ticket machines are not particularly easy to use.

For general tourist information, consult the excellent website of the Commune.


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